Doggie bolognese and other ways to cut your pet food bill

Like people, animals can eat well on a budget. It just takes a little thought and preparation. See our tips for taking a bite out of your pet food costs.

OK, so maybe this is taking upscaling your dog’s dinner time too far.

Pets are a sheer joy and privilege to own and we always want the very best for them – including what we feed them.

However, sourcing quality meals means bills can be the biggest expense for some owners.

Just like people, pets can eat well on a budget.

It just takes a bit of thought and preparation.

Here are some ways to keep your costs down:

SEE A SALE, BUY IN BULK

Wait until the supermarkets have large bags of pet food on special and buy up big, if you have the room to store it. Retail outlets such as Big W and Kmart also stock pet food in bulk, so it pays to regularly check the pricing online.

Though I’m not a fan of canned dog food, I’ll buy a few when it’s on sale for those days when we have powered through our chilled dog food and can’t get to the shops.

LOCAL HOME DELIVERY

While most of us shop at big supermarkets for convenience, there are small businesses that make quality homemade dog food and will deliver it to your door.

Most is well-priced and freshly made, and is provided in large buckets to be kept in the fridge.

Buying food in bulk will save you money over time.

SPECIALISED DIET?

Some pets have special needs, making regular dog food options impossible.

One solution is to find your nearest rural and farm supply store.

These stores cater to farm animals – including dogs, and even those on a specialised diet – and are so much cheaper.

Sure, the bags are huge, because they sell all their stock in bulk, but it’s worth the drive for city folk.

MAKE YOUR OWN

Making pet food at home is easy. Yes, a bit time consuming but it guarantees you know exactly what the food contains.

Remember, you don’t have to feed your dog just meat; there are vegetables, grains, rice and other protein sources, such as eggs, that are appropriate for canines.

Eggs, in particular, give dogs a lovely, shiny coat.

Incorporating meat and vegetables can boost your dog’s diet.

Here are a few easy recipes to try at home.

Turkey and Rice Homemade Dog Food:

2 cups of cooked brown rice

1kg minced turkey mince

1kg frozen vegetables

5 cups of water

Method: Place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on ‘low’ for four hours. Allow to cool and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Slow Cooker Pet Stew

1kg minced turkey or beef

1 large sweet potato, diced

2 carrots

1 cup frozen peas

3 cups water

Method: Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on ‘low’ for two hours. Allow to cool and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Doggie bolognese

1kg turkey mince

3 medium sweet potatoes

3 carrots

2 zucchinis

1 cup broccoli florets

3 cups macaroni noodles

Method: Grate or chop finely all the vegetables. Brown the mince in a pan and add the vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are breaking down. Add the cooked macaroni noodles. Divide the mixture into measured servings and pop into ziplock bags in the fridge.

Homemade Cat Food

500g pork mince

100g cooked wild rice

1 medium sweet potato

Method: Cook the wild rice and the sweet potato together for 15 minutes or until cooked and soft. Allow to cool. Mix in with the pork mince (don’t cook) and keep in the fridge for up to one week.

Originally published as Doggie bolognese and other ways to cut your pet food bill